The next iPad Air may have a display we’ve waited years for

By Bryan M. Wolfe Published November 5, 2024

A person holding the Apple iPad Air (2024), showing the screen. — Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Earlier this year, Apple introduced its largest iPad Air to date, featuring a 13-inch display. However, like previous models, this display has a refresh rate of only 60Hz, which is lower than the 120Hz found on the 2024 iPad Pro. Improvements in this area may be arriving with the upcoming iPad Air.

According to an anonymous source from the popular Upgrade podcast, the 2025 iPad Air could include a 90Hz refresh rate. Similar displays might also be featured in a rumored 24-inch iMac and the next-generation Studio Display.

Recommended Videos

The source noted that the new display will remain an LCD and utilize a new liquid motion panel.

A higher refresh rate allows a display to update its images more times per second. This results in smoother motion, reduced motion blur, and improved user responsiveness.

While there is currently no way to confirm this rumor, recent speculation suggests that Apple recognizes the importance of increasing the refresh rate on its most popular products. For instance, next year’s regular iPhone 17 models are expected to offer a 120Hz refresh rate for the first time, while the iPhone Pro series currently features this enhanced refresh rate.

Apple announced the 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air (2024) in May, along with the iPad Pro (2024). If Apple decides to unveil a refreshed iPad Air next year, it will likely happen around the same time.

In October, Bloomberg reported that Apple plans to introduce a new iPad Air, a next-generation iPad, and the iPhone SE 4 in the middle of next year. The upcoming iPad Air is expected to feature an M3 chipset, while the current model is equipped with an M2.

Former Mobile and A/V Freelancer

Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.

Topics

Mobile

What’s the best iPad screen size: should you go 11-inch or 13-inch?

13-inch iPad Air (2025) with iPad Air 4 and iPad Mini 7 in the background.

The Apple iPad lineup is bigger than ever. Previously, when choosing an iPad Air, you just needed to consider storage capacity and cellular capabilities. Now, like the iPad Pro, you also get to choose between two screen sizes. I’ve received emails from readers confused about whether the 13-inch model is a better pick for watching movies. The short answer? No. A bigger iPad doesn’t necessarily mean a better screen for video consumption.

I recently switched to the 13-inch iPad Air (2025) from my 11-inch iPad Air (2020), and it made me realize that both tablets are made for different use cases. If you're confused about which screen size is right for your next iPad Air or iPad Pro, here’s a breakdown based on my experience.
Look at the aspect ratio, not the display size
13-inch iPad Air (2025) display Prakhar Khanna / Digital Trends

Computing

iPad is the best secondary screen I’ve used with a MacBook

You can extend your MacBook's screen by using an iPad as a secondary monitor.

I spend an unhealthy amount of time lurking in communities where people share aesthetic desktop setups. One of my friends recently set the group chat on fire with a triple monitor setup that had two vertical screens and an ultrawide curved panel at the center. An impulse swipe later, I achieved a similar makeover for my desk at home.

Here’s the problem, though. My $600 workstation overhaul did bring me visual joy, but not much utility. For reporting assignments, I spend the majority of the year away from home, working from deserted cafes or unnaturally uncomfortable bunk beds. I do miss the convenience of large secondary screens. Interestingly, that yearning is addressed by a rather unconventional device —the humble iPad.

Mobile

iPad Pro with next-gen M5 silicon could arrive later this year

Magic Keyboard and iPad Pro.

It seems tablets are increasingly becoming the unofficial launch testbed for Apple’s next-gen silicon. The 2024 iPad Pro marked the debut of Apple’s M4 chip, ahead of its appearance inside the Mac hardware.
Carrying forward the torch, the next iPad Pro refresh could be “one of the first devices” to get a M5 series processor. According to Bloomberg, the next-gen iPad Pro has progressed into the advanced stages of internal testing. Moreover, it is expected to hit the shelves later this year, likely in the Fall season.
Apple gave the M4 series refresh to the Mac lineup, including the MacBook Air, Pro, and Studio models, earlier this year. The M4 Pro and M4 Max processors were only introduced late last year, so it seems increasingly plausible that the baseline M5 would arrive later this year, followed by its Pro, Max, or Ultra variants.
Given the “freshness” status of the current Mac hardware, the upcoming iPad Pro seems like the first candidate to get a taste of the next-gen M5 processor. “The new versions of that model, code-named J817, J818, J820 and J821, are in late testing within Apple and on track for production in the second half of this year,” adds the report.
What to expect from M5 iPad Pro?

Starting with the design , Apple is not expected to make any notable changes, given the company’s history. The iPad Pro got a major design overhaul in 2024, embracing a super-sleek look, one fewer camera, and a new keyboard accessory to go with it.
As far as the silicon goes, the M5 series will reportedly be based on the 3nm process and built atop ARM’s next-gen CPU architecture. In addition to the 2025 iPad Pro, Apple is also expected to launch new MacBook Pro models later this year, armed with an M5-tier processor.